Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says “people will decide their future” if securocrats deny him the chance to lead the country – if he wins the 2018 national elections.

Tsvangirai’s remarks came at a time when insiders within opposition parties indicated that he was tipped to lead the proposed opposition coalition that will challenge President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party in the forthcoming polls.

Tsvangirai has challenged Mugabe, 92, in three consecutive elections in which he has accused the veteran leader of rigging the vote.

Opposition parties were now mulling fielding a single presidential candidate who would challenge the nonagenarian. Mugabe has already been endorsed by Zanu-PF as its candidate.

“We can’t go back to the 2008 situation. Power transfer is an issue that we need to deal with and it will be up to the people of Zimbabwe to decide their future if the military and other state functionaries decide to disrespect the will of the electorate,” Tsvangirai told News24.

Mugabe unleashed the military and other state security agents who embarked on a terror campaign on opposition supporters, killing more than 400 of Tsvangirai’s supporters ahead of the June 2008 presidential run-off. This resulted in Tsvangirai pulling out of the race. He later formed a unity government with Mugabe following the intervention of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).